Creed

            The 1976 film, “Rocky,” is one of the greatest inspiring stories ever told. The tale of a down on his luck guy, given the chance to fight a champion, and work his way to the top is classic and memorable. Sylvester Stallone treats the first film as if it was a biography on himself, seeing how he was a down on his luck actor, who rose to fame with both a tremendous performance and solid script. So solid, that it got him two Oscar nominations for Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay. He may not have won, but the film still managed to win both Best Picture and Best Director, which is satisfying enough as is.

            The sequels from there on got to be less and less credible, aside from “Rocky Balboa,” which was really damn good. With how it fleshed out, you’d think there’d be nowhere else to go with the series, and it should just be put to rest. That thought changed when a spin-off film was announced, simply titled “Creed.”

            “Creed” tells the story of Adonis Johnson, the son of Apollo Creed, Rocky’s friend and rival. Adonis is taken out of juvenile hall by Mary Anne Creed, and grows up into a simple life. However, Adonis can’t escape his passion for fighting, so he goes to Philadelphia to train under the guidance of a retired Rocky Balboa, and make a name for himself and honor his father’s name.

            Without a shadow of a doubt, this is the best film in the “Rocky” series, since the first movie. Ryan Coogler, the director of “Fruitvale Station,” shows us through this film that he understood what made the original film so iconic and so memorable, but doesn’t make it a complete carbon copy of it. The film’s brutal, heartfelt, mature, and respectful to the fans and Stallone’s work. One of the best directed scenes in the movie is when Adonis is in his first fight after training with Rocky, and the whole scene is done in a single shot. The way it was handled and always kept the action going, I didn’t even notice it was one shot until the film was over. Thank you Mr. Coogler, and thanks to your cinematographer, Maryse Alberti, for her excellent camera work.

            Michael B. Jordan as Adonis was a fantastic casting choice, as he really gave this performance his all. He starts off cocky and is easily irritated, but as the film goes on, he learns from his mistakes. He does have a few smug moments when training with Rocky, but his charisma and delivery make them very funny, which helps with the character. With the weight he has on his shoulders on whether or not he’ll live up to his father’s name, you feel the struggle along with him and want to see him come out on top. If possible, I would love to see B. Jordan get an Oscar nomination for Best Actor.

            However, the best performance by far was from Sylvester Stallone, reprising his iconic role as Rocky. With all the things that have happened over the course of the previous films, the regrets and emotional struggles he goes through built up on him. He’s lost almost everything he’s had, ready to finally break down and let time take its course, not wanting to see another person he’s grown attached to fall to pieces again. The way he and Adonis work off each other is really welcoming, as he acts as not just the Mickey to Adonis, but as a father figure that Adonis never had growing up. I’m desperately hoping that Stallone gets nominated for Best Supporting Actor, because this was not only his best portrayal as Rocky, but his best performance throughout his entire career.

            Bianca, Adonis’ love interest, is played by Tessa Thompson. At first you expect her to be like Adriane, but she’s her own different character. She’s assertive, stern, and isn’t the kind of person to take shit from any kind of rough behavior. When she’s on screen with Adonis, you buy their relationship and care about seeing these two ending up together. Thompson is fantastic in the role, and if they decide to do a sequel to this, she’d better return. Other cast members like Phylicia Rashad, Tony Bellew, Graham McTavish, Wood Harris, and Andre Ward, give very enticing performances as well, giving the film a more full feeling.

            Composer Ludwig Goransson did a fantastic job with scoring this film, mixing in pieces from Bill Conti’s original score and giving it a more modern feel to it. It felt really exciting to hear the original “Rocky” theme song go on during the final fight, telling us that the torch has officially passed on. Definitely a composition that’s a majesty to the ears.

            Now the big question someone might be asking is, which boxing film I prefer this year: this or “Southpaw?” Well, I think they’re both phenomenal films, but their good in their own different rights. Do I go with the film about a guy, who lost everything, try to pull his life back together and claim custody rights for his daughter back? Or do I go with the film about a man climb his way up to his father’s legacy, under the guidance of his father’s rival and best friend? Either way, I recommend people go and watch both films and determine for yourself.

            Overall, go and see “Creed” while it’s still in theaters, you won’t be disappointed. The fight scenes, the camera work, the story, the direction, and the performances were all wonderful. It’s one of the best films of the year, and I’m hoping the Oscars takes notice of it. This film and “Mad Max Fury Road” are easily the two best sequels of the year.

Rating: 10/10